Revelations
by Spontaneous Muse
Summary: Because marriage wasn't an option. ShikaTema, slight AU.


_Shikatema is practically canon, Shikatema is practically canon - _

_This is a ship I've never written for but I love them immensely, and after Chapter 678 I had to write this. If you haven't read it yet - read it **now**, for it'll explain a lot of this to you. That being said you don't **have **to read it to understand what's happening, but it does provide some context. _

_Considering this is my first time writing ShikaTema, I found their characters surprisingly easier to characterize than average. I'll let you be the judge of that: please leave a review at the end of the fic!_

_The title of this oneshot is kind of wordplay, hehe. Yes, just go along with it, it may seem kind of AU but go with it. _

_~Muse_

..:[::]:..

Revelations

He didn't like putting a name on what they were because it was _silly_ – who cares what people called it or saw it as - they were who they are and they knew what their relationship was. Of course _she_ would probably want something _official_, and he knew what she'd say. "Otherwise what good will it do?" or, "it has to be under an official registry in Suna," even, "as the Kazekage's sister it would _look a hell of a lot better_ if I became a Missus and not a _Miss_, from my longtime boyfriend-" but then he would shut her up with a kiss, only for her to growl – possibly bite his lip – and then he'd chuckle while cursing her and she'd grin back with that sparkle in her smile.

Something like that.

But _man_ had they been together for a long time now, though she'd remind him that it _could _have been even longer. No, he wasn't about to admit to her that it took him a lot of guts to ask her out, mainly due to the fact he'd grown a little weary of her huge-ass fan and what battering power it had. When he had finally managed to spit out the words that were otherwise molasses on his tongue, did she grin, lean over her fan, and proceed to yell at him why it took so long.

How long has it been now? Seven years? Maybe eight? And as they grew up together and got older they would constantly be asked _the question_, mainly from Naruto (jokingly) and Gaara (not-so-jokingly). The two would deny it but it would be _her_ who would say "No, not yet," before shooting him a poignant look and he'd roll his eyes and fold his arms behind his head, trying to distract himself from her death-stare. And as they'd walk side-by-side (but not hand-in-hand) they would pass other budding couples, their bubbly happiness deflecting off both of them like how a dull shuriken would bounce off a steel wall as they'd look at each other and laugh – because their stupid-adorable phase never really happened (thank God for _that_) but instead they reached a very comfortable yet always challenging and surprising stage.

They would see other established couples and thoughts would run rapid in his head, firstly how comfortably happy his mentor and Kurenai were with each other despite never _putting the name_ and then his parents, who would yell at each other day in day out but somehow, in the end, always make up. _That _was troublesome, he'd think, and he'd prefer the former so much more. When he would glance to his side to see _her_ reaction, he would chuckle at the fact that her lip would curl and her eyes would slide to the side, before she'd crack a smile at him too and then he'd just know, _know _they're on the same wavelength.

The first time they talked about it, it didn't really go down as he had originally thought. She agreed that _it_ created a lot of stigma and she would rather it not be like that, though she did chastise him on his opinion (so he'd admit his skewed view on _it_ was probably ridiculous, but most married couples seemed to devolve to _that_ kind of relationship anyways). She _did _express (with almost as much vigor as he expected) regret over the missed opportunity for not only the registry, but for what the legal documents would do for their villages. He hummed in agreement until an idea sparked into his head, and when he expressed his thoughts she nodded until he suggested he'd ask the Hokage about the implications, to which she guffawed and told him that "_Naruto would have no idea_" and instead told him how she'd ask her brother, something that secretly had Shikamaru gulping (he was a little intimidated by the Kazekage) but he ultimately agreed to.

The next time someone asked them _the_ _question_ they looked at each other and she nodded. He smirked a little and turned back to the asker, "No, we're not."

"Wait, what?!" Naruto's blue eyes stretcehd wide and his Hokage hat nearly fell off his head when he'd shot a finger shot out at the lazier shinobi, then dragged its way to his partner, then back to him. "But, but, did you guys _break up_?!"

"_What?!"_ Temari's eyes were deadly and her voice was sharp: scathing. Shikamaru patted on her shoulder in a calming gesture.

"No, not even close," he responded in a pacifying way. Temari stopped bristling at the Hokage like an indignant cat and instead filled in the blank for him, lifting the silence that was beginning to gather despite the Hokage's continued gawking.

"We're going to wait."

"Wait for what?" the blonde asked incredulously. Shikamaru sighed as Temari flashed him a knowing look. Alright, so Naruto _did _have no idea. He sometimes hated it when she was right.

"Common law," he said deftly. Naruto stared at him before blinking, confusion settling into his face as his mouth opened to undoubtedly question what it was. Shikamaru beat him to the punch. "It's kind of like marriage; law states that if you've been together for a total of ten years, you'll be officially recognized as a married couple,"

"It'll show up under our names, so both Suna and Konoha will have it registered when our names are brought into question," Temari continued as Naruto's face first changed from surprise and then slowly to doubt. She sighed and waved away the blonde's fears. "Don't worry, we checked it with Gaara. It'll be like we're married, just without the ceremony, or the _title_," she said, before shooting a sideways glance to Shikamaru, who sighed. "And we have no doubt we can make it for another year," she finished confidently, a ghost of a smile decorating her lips.

Oh. So it's been nine years, then.

Naruto blinked once more before breaking into a massive grin, giving the couple a massive thumbs up. "Okay! Then I, as Hokage, officially approve!" He patted Shikamaru on the back before reaching to Temari, who let out a somewhat feline-like hiss as she swatted his hand away. "Then go back to what you were doing!"

"We were just walking," dismissed the Sand shinobi with a light click of her tongue as the Hokage sauntered away. She turned to her significant other, her own sigh sounding scarily like his - then again, they have been together for nine years. "Man, I don't know how you deal with him."

Shikamaru smirked. _I've dealt with worse._

* * *

When his eyes opened, he realized where he was – on the ground, sweating, feeling drained.

When he gingerly turned to his side, his eyes widened in surprise as he saw many others, slowly getting up and stretching as if they had been asleep for years. Realization settled in, causing his stomach to churn as the implications sank in with a side of horror. Oh. _Oh._

As the pink-headed medical nin landed beside him, he didn't even have to ask when she nodded. "Genjutsu – you were trapped in an alternate reality – one of your own fabrication of your deepest desires."

Shikamaru moaned and buried his head.

_Shit._

..:[::]:..

_Who didn't see this coming from a mile away? _

_Imagine what Shikamaru's going to have to go through now... _

_Side note: Common Law differs between everywhere you go. I'm in Ontario so actually common law takes effect after **three years**, I just chose ten because that seems a lot more committed. _

_Again, please leave a review! They make me happy, and might encourage me to write more Shikatema in the future. _

_~ Muse_


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